Flight Safety Information - March 27, 2026 No. 062 In This Issue : Incident: Southwest B737 at Orlando on Mar 26th 2026, cracked windshield : Incident: Mesa E175 near San Antonio on Mar 25th 2026, smoking battery : Incident: India A359 over Saudi Arabia on Mar 26th 2026, turbulence, vibrations, unusual noise : FAA investigating close call between United Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter in California : Emergency Vehicles Respond to American Airlines Plane After Crews Report 'Malfunction' on Board : Flight into Burbank Airport aborts landing last minute, does a go-around, passenger says KABC : Controllers say LaGuardia needed more staff on busy night of Air Canada collision : Drunken Florida man crashed airport gate and tried to board aircraft, authorities say : Jet with engine problem diverts after Kelowna departure : British Airways to reward pilots for cutting fuel as airlines tackle higher costs : Calendar of Events Incident: Southwest B737 at Orlando on Mar 26th 2026, cracked windshield A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N212WN performing flight WN-2414 from Orlando,FL to Austin,TX (USA), had just levelled off at at FL360 when the crew decided to return to Orlando for a safe landing on runway 35L about 45 minutes after departure. The FAA reported: "Southwest Airlines Flight 2414 returned safely to Orlando International Airport around 7:15 a.m. local time on Thursday, March 26, after the crew reported a cracked windshield. The Boeing 737-700 was headed to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The FAA will investigate." https://avherald.com/h?article=536f8ded&opt=0 Incident: Mesa E175 near San Antonio on Mar 25th 2026, smoking battery A Mesa Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of United, registration N85354 performing flight UA-6110 from Lubbock,TX to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), was enroute at FL310 about 130nm northwest of San Antonio,TX (USA) when the crew decided to divert to San Antonio due to passenger's battery emitting smoke. Cabin crew secured the device in a containment bag. The aircraft landed safely on San Antonio's runway 13R about 25 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 11 hours, then continued the journey and reached Houston with a delay of about 11 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=536f7419&opt=0 Incident: India A359 over Saudi Arabia on Mar 26th 2026, turbulence, vibrations, unusual noise An Air India Airbus A350-900, registration VT-JRF performing flight AI-111 from Delhi (India) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute at FL360 over eastern Saudi Arabia when the aircraft encountered turbulence followed by unusual vibrations of the airframe and noise from the cargo hold. The crew decided to turn around and return to Delhi, climbed to FL370 and landed safely back in Delhi about 6.5 hours after departure. India's DGCA is looking into the occurrence. The aircraft had encountered a similar occurrence 10 days earlier, see: Incident: India A359 over Atlantic on Mar 16th 2026, unidentified noise in cabin. The airline reported a technical issue. https://avherald.com/h?article=536f7062&opt=0 FAA investigating close call between United Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter in California The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a US Army National Guard helicopter crossed in front of a passenger jet landing at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, the agency said in a statement. On Tuesday evening, United Airlines Flight 589 from San Francisco was preparing to land at the Orange County airport when a collision avoidance alarm sounded in the cockpit. The warning was triggered by the California National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk, flying under the callsign Knife 25. According to FlightRadar24, the aircraft were 525 feet apart vertically and 1,422 feet laterally at their closest point. During final approach, according to United, the pilots of the Boeing 737 were advised by air traffic control “to watch out for a military helicopter flying near the airport.” After the alarm sounded, the pilots stopped descending and leveled off until they were passed the helicopter and could land safely. “We’re gonna be addressing that, because that was not good,” an air traffic controller said in audio recorded by LiveATC.net. The California National Guard said the helicopter involved was on a routine training mission and flying back to its home base. “The aircraft was returning to Los Alamitos airfield along an established Visual Flight Rules (VFR) route at an assigned altitude while in communication with air traffic control,” a statement noted. “A thorough review will be conducted in coordination with the appropriate agencies.” In January 2025, a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training mission collided with an American Airlines regional jet while landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Sixty-seven people were killed in what was the worst aviation disaster in the US in almost 20 years. Emergency response units conduct search and rescue operations in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025. - Win McNamee/Getty Images Emergency response units conduct search and rescue operations in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025. - Win McNamee/Getty Images The investigation concluded the FAA’s placement of a helicopter route near a runway approach path caused the incident, and noted a number of systemic failures. Earlier this month, the FAA published an order requiring air traffic controllers to use radar to actively track helicopters when flying through the flight paths of planes taking off and landing at busy airports. Chopper pilots had been allowed to take responsibility for visual separation with other aircraft in these areas – a process called “see and avoid” – but a series of recent close calls drew scrutiny to the process. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/faa-investigating-close-call-between-225504425.html Emergency Vehicles Respond to American Airlines Plane After Crews Report 'Malfunction' on Board A Port Authority spokesperson confirmed the plane landed safely with no injuries reported following the March 25 incident An American Airlines flight was met with a large emergency presence upon landing at Newark Airport on Wednesday According to a Port Authority spokesperson, crews on board flight 1461 reported "malfunctioning nose landing gear" No injuries were reported and the plane was later towed to the gate safely A large presence of emergency vehicles responded to a flight landing at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey on after flight crews reported “malfunctioning landing gear.” The incident occurred on American Airlines flight 1461. The Boeing 737-800 took off from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina around 7:15 p.m. local time on March 25, according to FlightAware. However, during the trip, flight crews reported mechanical issues with the aircraft. “I’m told at this point, you have an issue with the nose gear, so I assume you will not be able to exit the runway on your own power,” an air traffic controller tells the American pilots on a recording obtained by LiveATC.net. “We believe we have a flat nose wheel,” a pilot responds. In a statement shared with PEOPLE from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees operations at EWR, they confirmed the plane landed safely at 8:44 p.m. local time. Additionally, no injuries were reported. A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration says the aircraft landed with a “blown nose-gear tire” in a statement shared with PEOPLE. They noted that Boeing 737 aircrafts have two nose-gear tires, so the second tire would have still been functional. The department says they will investigate the incident. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/emergency-vehicles-respond-american-airlines-204454095.html Flight into Burbank Airport aborts landing last minute, does a go-around, passenger says KABC A Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas had to do a go-around at Hollywood Burbank Airport due to the runway not being clear for landing, as captured in a passenger's cellphone video. Cellphone video captured the moment a pilot announced that a flight set to land at Hollywood Burbank Airport on Thursday would need to do a go-around, aborting the initial planned landing. Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight were arriving from Las Vegas around 3 p.m. when the pilot of the Boeing 737 suddenly aborted the landing and did a go-around instead. One passenger said the wheels briefly touched the ground before the plane took off again at a steep incline. An Eyewitness News viewer shared a video of the announcement made over the plane's intercom system. "Hey folks, just a quick update. The ordered runway wasn't quite clear when we were going to touch down there, so we had to go-around. Now, we will get back in line and another probably five or 10 minutes here, and we'll be landing," the pilot said. Eyewitness News reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to learn more about what was on the runway preventing the flight from landing on its first attempt, but has not heard back. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/flight-burbank-airport-aborts-landing-073617992.html Controllers say LaGuardia needed more staff on busy night of Air Canada collision MONTREAL/NEW YORK, March 27 (Reuters) - New York's LaGuardia airport was so busy last Sunday before an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck that additional staff should have been brought in to help, several current and former U.S. air traffic controllers said. Weather-related delays resulted in 70 commercial flights taking off or landing at the airport between 10 p.m. and 11:37 p.m., when the Air Canada Express CRJ-900 regional jet crashed, killing both pilots. That compares to an average of 53 flights during the same period on Sunday evenings in March since 2022 and the 31 that had been scheduled for the night of the crash, according to data from aviation consultancy Cirium. Six of the controllers interviewed by Reuters described the workload as busy. Five of them said other controllers would typically be brought in or stay on past their normal shift end time to manage the heavier-than-scheduled number of flights. The busy situation was compounded by a United Airlines flight declaring an emergency over a bad odor. That led an air traffic controller to clear a fire truck to cross the runway to help before he realized it was in the Air Canada jet's path and tried unsuccessfully to get it to stop, according to audio posted by LiveATC.net. HIGH WORKLOAD The ⁠LaGuardia crash has revived concerns over high U.S. controller workload, especially late at night, when staffing is typically limited to two people and one sometimes manages both active runways and ground vehicles at the airport. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Monday that LaGuardia was well-staffed with ⁠33 certified controllers and six in training, at a facility with a target of 37 controllers. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash, said there were two controllers working in the glass tower cab at the time. Experts said the controller involved in the United Airlines emergency and the crash appeared to be handling both the ground and local tasks of directing air traffic based on the audio, though NTSB investigators are still reviewing whether the tasks were combined. Ray Adams, a retired air traffic controller at nearby Newark airport in New Jersey, said it was not typical in his experience to combine positions at night when there was a heavy workload. An NTSB final report into a 1997 collision at LaGuardia between a private jet and a vehicle referenced new procedures being put in place afterward to ensure "local and ground positions shall not be combined prior to" midnight at the New York airport. It was not clear whether those procedures remain in place. A spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey referred questions to the Federal Aviation Administration, which manages U.S. air traffic control. The FAA did not respond immediately to a request for comment on whether it had such procedures for LaGuardia. An NTSB spokesperson said the probe would review relevant tower procedures. Air crashes are typically caused by multiple factors, and NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said this week it was too early to rule anything out. STAYING LATE One current New York-area controller said when there was inclement weather and flights were delayed, controllers sometimes stayed later than their shift end time to help with the traffic. “The weather wasn't great; there was still a decent amount of traffic coming into LaGuardia,” the controller said of the night of the collision on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak with media. Aviation weather reports showed earlier ground-level and atmospheric icing, which slows the flow of traffic and causes delays. The United Airlines flight that declared an emergency had aborted takeoff twice due to a fault with the plane's anti-ice system, an airline industry source said. United declined to comment. The controller involved in the Air Canada crash, who was not immediately relieved from duty afterward as the NTSB said was normal practice, later told another pilot that he'd been dealing with an emergency earlier. "I messed up," the controller said in a shaken voice. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/controllers-laguardia-needed-more-staff-100035569.html Drunken Florida man crashed airport gate and tried to board aircraft, authorities say DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (TMX) - A Florida man is facing charges for allegedly crashing through the fence at Daytona Beach International Airport and trying to board multiple aircraft while “highly intoxicated,” authorities said. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy responded at around 4:25 p.m. Wednesday to a report that a blue Ford Mustang had crashed through a perimeter fence gate at Daytona Beach International Airport. The deputy arrived to find the gate “destroyed and lying on the ground.” Staff reported the Mustang had continued to the Embry-Riddle section of the airport after crashing the gate. “Moments later,” the deputy found the suspect had already been detained by airport operations and Embry-Riddle security personnel. Witnesses told investigators that the driver, later identified as 58-year-old Bryan J. Parker, had driven onto the taxiway and nearly struck an Embry-Riddle plane that was in motion. Parker then allegedly exited his vehicle and tried unsuccessfully to enter the occupied plane. He then allegedly ran to other aircraft in the area, and an airport operations technician “chased him down, pulled him out of a plane and sat him on his truck’s tailgate.” That wasn’t the end, however. Parker allegedly “jumped off the tailgate” and tried to board yet another aircraft before he was apprehended again. According to the sheriff’s office, Parker allegedly admitted he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs and “didn’t remember what led to the incident.” Parker was arrested and booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges of attempted aircraft piracy, burglary of a conveyance, felony trespass, exposure of sexual organ, criminal mischief, DUI property damage and refusal to submit to testing. https://www.kbtx.com/2026/03/27/drunken-florida-man-crashed-airport-gate-tried-board-aircraft-authorities-say/ Jet with engine problem diverts after Kelowna departure Jet engine fails after takeoff There were some tense moments in the air and on the ground in Kelowna on Thursday. An outgoing aircraft encountered engine issues shortly after taking off from Kelowna International Airport. A Summit Air workforce charter jet taking off from Kelowna heading to Terrace, B.C. departed at 11:14 a.m. Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, the pilot reported engine issues and began turning around to land in Kelowna. The four-engine Avro RJ 85 lost power in one engine, and according to Kelowna International Airport director Sam Samaddar. The plane circled for about 30 minutes over Vernon to burn off excess fuel, to get below their gross landing weight. "In that process, they decided to, rather than returning back to Kelowna, they decided to carry on to Calgary," says Samaddar. As part of YLW's emergency protocols, their crews were notified and placed on standby. The Kelowna Fire Department, RCMP and BC Ambulance also responded to the scene as a precaution. "It's part of our emergency procedures, and certainly, we got a lot of good support from our mutual aid partners," Samaddar says. He is not aware of why the pilots chose to head to Calgary, but Samaddar says the Aurora RJ 85 is very capable of flying safely and landing on three engines. The aircraft safely landed in Alberta. Despite the tense times, Samaddar says his team and aid partners responded with efficiency. "It's good practice for everybody as well. So that all went well," says Samaddar. Castanet has requested comment from Summit Air but has not received a response. https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/605628/Jet-with-engine-problem-diverts-after-Kelowna-departure British Airways to reward pilots for cutting fuel as airlines tackle higher costs British Airways is looking to incentivize its pilots with bonuses to cut down on their aircraft’s fuel consumption from next year. The airline’s pilots would have to cut their planes’ carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2025 levels to receive a bonus. Airlines are struggling with surging jet fuel prices as the Middle East conflict continues. British Airways is offering a financial incentive to its pilots who reduce their planes’ fuel consumption, as the U.S.-Iran war continues to plague travel and drive up jet fuel prices. The airline’s pilots would have to cut their aircraft’s carbon dioxide emissions by 60,000 tons more than their 2025 levels to receive a bonus worth 1% of their base pay, according to documents viewed by Bloomberg News and reported on Tuesday. British Airways confirmed to CNBC that it’s working with the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) on this initiative and said it’s “fully committed to making improvements to colleagues’ experience at work,” in a statement. Members of the BALPA will vote on the proposal at the end of April and it is expected to go into effect next year, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. “BALPA and British Airways are exploring potential changes to terms and conditions for pilots at British Airways, including ways in which pilots can continue to contribute to the company’s sustainability goals,” BALPA said in a statement to CNBC. The trade union, which says it represents 85% of pilots in the U.K., added that “any proposed changes to terms and conditions will be put to members to vote upon.” Jet fuel prices surge The initiative comes as global airlines continue to struggle with soaring jet fuel prices amid the U.S. war with Iran. Iran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil supply passes, has caused prices to surge to over $100 per barrel. International benchmark Brent crude last added nearly 5% to trade at $107 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 4.2% to $94 per barrel. Meanwhile, jet fuel prices have also surged about 106% compared to a month ago, according to data from the week ending March 20, via the International Air Transport Association. Airlines are looking at a range of measures from charging higher ticket fares to canceling less profitable flights. China’s Cathay Pacific increased its fuel surcharge in response to the Middle East conflict, saying it’s an important mitigation tactic to offset rising fuel costs, which made up 30% of its total operating costs in 2025. Meanwhile, United Airlines’ CEO Scott Kirby said that the oil price spike would have a “meaningful” impact on the carrier’s financial results in the first quarter, earlier this month. Kirby said in a staff memo last week that the airline is going to cut unprofitable flights over the next two quarters. United expects oil prices to surge as high as $175 a barrel and remain above $100 until the end of 2027 — this would result in the company’s annual fuel bill rising to $11 billion. Additionally, Australia’s Qantas and Scandinavian Airlines are raising ticket fares, while Air New Zealand lowered its financial outlook for as long as the war isn’t resolved. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/26/british-airways-reward-pilots-cutting-fuel-costs-climb.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . CANSO Global Safety Conference 2026 - 29 March – 1 April 2026 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) . 60th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - March 31 - April 1, 2026 (Irving, TX) . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . World Aviation Training Summit - 5-7 May 2026 - Orlando . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 : APSCON/APSCON Unmanned 2026 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL - July 13-17, 2026 : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis